Therapeutic device for arthritis

ABSTRACT

This is an electro-magnetic device having a plurality of movable applicators adapted to be brought into yielding engagement with an affected finger, and vibrated. The applicators, as a group, surround the finger and are pressed against the sides of the finger and are moved lengthwise of the finger back and forth over one or the other of the two free finger joints with a stroking motion.

United States Patent Dienner [15] 3,654,917 [451 Apr. 11, 1972 [541 THERAPEUTIC DEVICE FOR ARTHRITIS [72] Inventor: John A. Dienner, 53 West Jackson Boulevard, Evanston,1l1. 60604 [22] Filed: Nov. 23, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 91,886

[52] US. Cl ..l28/26, 128/41 [51] Int. Cl. ..A6lh l/02 [58] Field of Search 128/242, 41, 32

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,644,446 7/1953 Viniegra ..128/26UX FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,095,119 12/1954 France ..l28/4l 694,147 7/1940 Germany ..l28/32 Primary Examiner-L. W. Trapp Attorney-Johnson, Dienner, Emrich, Verbeck & Wagner ABSTRACT This is an electro-magnetic device having a plurality of movable applicators adapted to be brought into yielding engagement with an affected finger, and vibrated. The applicators, as a group, surround the finger and are pressed against the sides of the finger and are moved lengthwise of the finger back and forth over one or the other of the two free finger joints with a stroking motion.

5 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures THERAPEUTIC DEVICE FOR ARTHRITIS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Arthritis is a deterioration of the joints. The most common occurrence of the affliction is in the joints of the fingers of the human hand. (Fingers" include thumbs wherever applicable).

I have discovered that by applying radial pressures of a plurality of applicators to spaced points around the finger having an arthritic joint, the pain and soreness of the afflicted joint may be greatly diminished and, in many cases, eliminated permanently by stroking the affected joint while rapid vibration transverse to the longitudinal axis of the finger is imparted to the applicators. My present invention is a simple means for providing a light yielding clutch of applicators, preferably adapted to carry or to be formed as pads with or without resilient cushioning means, which applicators grasp the finger which contains the afflicted joint, for stroking the finger including the joint or joints and the adjacent parts of the affiicted finger. This provides a circumferential band of vibrating pressure to be moved longitudinally of the finger, back and forth over the joint or joints afflicted.

PRIOR ART I am not aware of any means designed for relieving the pain of an arthritic joint beyond the patients own efforts to knead or massage the joint. This is usually too painful and ineffective to be of any substantial value. I discovered by chance that producing a rapidly applied and relieved constriction of the finger and its joint and moving the applied constriction pressure and relaxation of said pressure lengthwise along the finger and over the afflicted joint, quick and long lasting relief is attained.

THEORY OF THE INVENTION While my theory as such may be wrong it has nothing to do with the virtue and value of the invention. I believe that by applying the pressure of applicators in the form of radial pressures around the circumference of the finger, subjected to rapid vibration, the fluids in the finger and particularly in the joint are caused to flow lengthwise of the finger and through the joint. In brief, a circulatory flow through the tissues of the joint, first in one direction longitudinally of the finger and then in the opposite direction, serves to purge the joint of static liquid contents and to set up a condition where natural blood and lymph circulation can, and does, occur. Two embodiments of the invention are disclosed. They have in common the concept of a plurality of applicators adapted to press radially upon the surface of the finger considering the finger and its joint as roughly approximating a cylinder. I provide means to align and keep the grip of the active portions of the applicator in position-generally in a plane approximately at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the finger. The hollow frame of the device provides a central recess into which the finger is guided.

Then there is means for increasing or decreasing the constricting effect or squeeze of the applicators transversely of the longitudinal axis of the finger. That is to say, the circle of applicators is selectively increased or decreased according to the size of the finger to be treated and according to the pressure which it is desired to apply.

Finally, there is means to produce vibration of the applicators substantially radially of the finger producing rapidly applied waves of pressure and relief, alternatively, as the device is moved along the length of the finger or vice versa. The vigor of the vibrations on the finger may be varied by increasing or decreasing pressure of the applicators and/or increasing or decreasing the power of the vibrations imparted to the applicators.

These two variables may be controlled either by mechanical means or, alternatively, by electrical means, or both, within the purview of my invention.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4, the pressure of the applicators is controlled electro-mechanically by one control means and the power or vigor of the vibrations is controlled independently by a second electro-magnetic means.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 5 to 8, the pressure of the applicators upon the finger being treated is controlled by mechanical means. The vigor of the vibrations is, in that embodiment, preferably substantially uniform. However, since the latter action is produced by electro-magnetic means, it is within the purview of the invention to vary the vigor of vibration as by a rheostat in the energizing circuit of said electromagnetic means.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides means for applying a novel treatment to arthritic finger joints by stroking the finger lengthwise over the afilicted joint or joints, back and forth, while applying by a suitable group of contacting applicators pressures transverse to the length of the finger, and tending to constrict the finger and/or joint, and simultaneously causing rapid vibrations of the applicators which vibrating pressure of the applicators is imparted to the finger and its afflicted joint or joints. The vibration of the applicators bearing upon the surface of the finger, reduces to a small value the resistance to movement of the applicators along the length of the finger, and it facilitates the stroking action even through the embrace of the applicators upon the finger be high enough that without such vibration such stroking might well be painful.

The vibrating pressure of the applicators is moved lengthwise of the finger and its joint or joints to be treated, tending to drive ahead of the region of constricting pressures such liquid content of the finger under treatment as are contained in the tissues over which the applicator is caused to move. I am not able to demonstrate what occurs inside the finger joint through the operation of the aforesaid treatment, but have personally experienced the relief which the method of the present invention produces.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The chief object of this invention is to provide a means for treating an arthritic joint in a human finger to reduce or remove the pain therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide a means for treating an arthritic joint, which means the patient himself can apply, control, and operate.

A further object is to provide means for treating an arthritic finger joint by applying a vibratory constricting pressure normal to the longitudinal axis of the finger at said joint and stroking said joint by moving said zone of vibratory constricting pressures to and for over said joint.

A still further object is to provide means for independently regulating the grip of the applicators on the finger and to adjust the radial spacing of the applicators relative to each other for different sizes of fingers and to adjust the intensity and the frequency of vibration of the applicators.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 is a plan view of a stationary form of an arthritistreating device of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 2- 2 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal cross section on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a diagram of the electro-magnetic actuating means for applying pressure and causing vibration of the applicators;

FIG. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section of an alternative embodiment of my invention taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 6 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the treating device of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross section taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal section similar to the upper half of FIG. showing the mode of operation of the means for mechanically adjusting the radial position of the vibrating applicators for engaging fingers of different diameters.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the device of FIGS. 1 to 4 an outer shell of insulating material comprises a flat base 1 from which rises the cylindrical wall 2 preferably formed integral with the base. There is an upper detachable cover 3 which telescopes with or is threaded at 4 at its lower end upon the end of the shell 2. There is a central opening 5 in the cover 3 through which the finger to be treated is inserted. In the base portion 1 there is a central recess 6 in which is seated an electromagnetic structure consisting of a central magnetic tubular core 7, a unidirectional current winding 8, and an alternating current winding 9. The electro-magnetic structure further comprising a pluralityin this case four-applicators 10 formed of resilient magnetic material and in magnetic cooperation with the core 8 and its pole pieces 11 and 12 to provide magnetic air gaps 13-13 between the applicators and the field magnet or core 7. In other words, the applicators 10- 10 constitute armatures normally retracted from the pole pieces 1212 by their own resiliency and adapted to be vibrated by the alternations of magnetic flux produced by the alternating current winding 8 on the tubular magnetic core 7.

The applicators 10 may be formed integral with a common central portion 101: from which they extend as shown in FIG. 2. Being of magnetic materialsteelthey serve both as spring applicators and as magnetic armatures. If desired they may be backed up magnetically by soft iron armature strips (not shown) attached to the steel strips 10 and overlapping the pole pieces 11 and 12.

These arrnatures 10 extend above the magnet core and constitute applicators. They are formed to present pads or finger engaging areas 14 positioned radially inwardly with respect to the main body of the applicators to provide finger engaging surfaces at said pads 14 and finger guiding portions 15 at their upper ends to receive a finger 16 shown in dotted lines. The magnetic core and the applicators, which are connected to each other magnetically at the lower end of the core 7, are held in the insulating housing 1 by suitable fasteners such as the screws 17. The applicator pads 15 preferably are covered with insulating material.

The base 1 is extended horizontally as shown at la in FIG. 1 to provide housing and support for electrical means cooperating with the core windings and applicators above described. House current of 60 cycles is provided through the electric switch 22 to the alternating current winding 8 to cause the applicators 10 to vibrate. This is effected through the feed line 23, control switch 24, adjustable rheostat 25, alternating current winding 8, and back through common return line 27.

The magnetizing winding 9 is, through the office of the rectifier 28, switch 29, and rheostat 30, provided with unidirectional current which tends to attract the applicators l0 radially towards each other. A double pole rectifier may be employed, if desired, to augment the attraction of the applicators to the core 7. Indicating lamps 32-32 bridged over the windings of the device may be included to indicate the energized condition of the circuits. In a similar manner and indicating lamp 33 may be employed to indicate that the house current is connected to the device.

The pad portions 14 of the applicators 7 may be provided with resilient insulating cushions so that the applicators do not feel so cold to the touch of the afflicted finger. Also, there is a tendency thereby to distribute the pressure a little more evenly over the working area of the applicator.

The operation is as follows. Assuming that the switch is closed, the switches 24, 29 may be closed to put in circuit both the magnetic windings-namely, the unidirectional current winding 9 and the alternating current winding 8 whereby the applicators are set into action first, by an attractive force drawing them toward the longitudinal axis of the device, and second, by producing them in a vibratory motion, the power of which may be regulated by rheostat 25 for the vibrational movement and by the rheostat 30 to control the overall pressure or to adjust them to the diameter of the finger which is inserted. The finger to be treated is then moved up and down through the grip of the pads of the applicators with consequent relative travel of the region of constriction and vibration along the length of the finger and over the afflicted joint to the extent desired.

A portable finger treating device is shown in FIGS. 5 to 8 inclusive. Its overall operation is essentially the same as that disclosed in connection with FIGS. 1 to 4. Applicators 35 having finger contacting pads 36 form parts of a magnetic circuit consisting of the magnetic core 7a, winding 80, and having pole pieces 11a and 12a. The device shown in FIGS. 5 to 8 is adapted to be held in one or the other hand of the user so that he may treat his own fingers of either hand. The applicators 10a are formed integral with a base portion clamped against the bottom of the pole piece 11a and insulating base 37 by screws or rivets 17a extending through the base of the outer shell 38 and holding the parts firmly together. An electric switch 39 is housed in the base and frame member 37, controlling the application of house current to the winding 8a of the electromagnet. A handle or grip 40 is formed integral with or attached to the outer shell member 38 and is used to support the instrument in the hands of the operator. The hand grip 40 has a recess 42 into which is movable the lug 43. A compression spring 44 is interposed between the lug 43 and the hand grip 40 and is concealed thereby. The operator may, by holding the instrument by means of the hand grip 40, pull the inner shell member 45 against the compression spring 44 to telescope the two shells with respect to each other.

The four applicators 10a are formed with an inclined section 35 at their forward end, these inclined sections 35 passing through slots formed between flange 46 of the inner shell 45 and the inclined face of the movable pole piece 47.

Pins 48, shown in FIG. 7, connect the flange 46 of the inner shell 45 with the movable pole piece 47 leaving sufficient air gap between the tapered portion 35 of the applicators 10a to permit substantial free swinging movement under vibration by the alternating magnetic field.

Since the flange 46 of the inner shell 45 is connected by the pins 48 to the movable ringlike pole piece 47, the operator may by pulling back on the lug 43 cause the incline portions 35 of the applicators 10a to be pressed radially inwardly to apply pressure to the joint of the finger which is disposed between the pads 15a and extended into the bore of the core 7a.

The operation of the device shown in FIGS. 5 to 8 is as follows. The operator grasps the handle 40 and inserts the finger to be treated endwise between the pads 36 of the applicators 10a. Then the desired degree of pressure of the applicators upon the finger may be brought about by pulling on the lug 43 which, through the influence of the inclined slots in which the diagonal portions of the applicators lie, will swing the applicators towards the common center which is on the longitudinal axis of the core 7a.

Upon closure of the switch 39 the alternating current operating through the coil 8a, core 7a and the applicators 10a produces a vibrating pressure of the pads 36 upon the finger which is embraced by said pads. The operator then either moves the finger with respect to the treating device, or vice versa, producing a stroking motion of the pads 15a of the ap plicators 10a upon the sides of the finger and the included joint which is to be treated. It will be noted that the movable pole piece 47 being pinned to the inwardly extending flange 46, will produce a radial movement of the end of the applicators toward or away from each other upon movement of the inner shell and connected shell 45 and connected parts.

FIG. 8 shows the inner shell 45 moved to the right with respect to the outer shell 38 whereby the applicator has been moved from the radially outward position shown in dotted lines to the inwardly extending position shown in full lines.

The magnetic flux produced by the winding 8a, being pulsating in character, imparts vibrating motion to the applicators and they, in turn, produce the vibrating constricting pressures around the periphery of the finger being treated. The embrace of the finger by the applicators may be varied to pressure and as to the speed of stroking, as desired.

lclaim:

1. Means for treating an arthritic finger joint comprising a tubular frame member, a plurality of applicators mounted on said member for limited swinging motion in planes substantially radially with respect to the axis of the tubular member and electro-magnetic means on said frame member for imparting vibratory motion to said applicators, said applicators terminating in approximately a common plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of said tubular frame member.

2. The means of claim 1 with means for adjusting the radial pressures of the applicators upon a finger disposed between the ends of said applicators.

3. The means of claim 2 wherein said radial pressure adjusting means is electro-magnetic.

4. The means of claim 2 wherein the radial pressure adjusting means comprises a mechanical applicator-engaging collar movable to adjust the radial position of said applicators in unison, towards or away from each other.

5. The means of claim 1 wherein the free ends of the applicators have radially inwardly projecting contact pads for engaging an interposed finger over a limited area only. 

1. Means for treating an arthritic finger joint comprising a tubular frame member, a plurality of applicators mounted on said member for limited swinging motion in planes substantially radially with respect to the axis of the tubular member and electro-magnetic means on said frame member for imparting vibratory motion to said applicators, said applicators terminating in approximately a common plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of said tubular frame member.
 2. The means of claim 1 with means for adjusting the radial pressures of the applicators upon a finger disposed between the ends of said applicators.
 3. The means of claim 2 wherein said radial pressure adjusting means is electro-magnetic.
 4. The means of claim 2 wherein the radial pressure adjusting means comprises a mechanical applicator-engaging collar movable to adjust the radial position of said applicators in unison, towards or away from each other.
 5. The means of claim 1 wherein the free ends of the applicators have radially inwardly projecting contact pads for engaging an interposed finger over a limited area only. 